Canton nurse, others charged

CANTON  State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman on Thursday announced charges against three St. Lawrence County residents in two separate cases.

In one, a nurse is accused of failing to dispense medication to care-home residents and then trying to cover her tracks. In the other, two women are accused of defrauding the state Medicaid program.

Licensed practical nurse Krysta Davis, 27, of Lisbon, faces charges that she failed to provide medications to four residents of the Maplewood Health Care and Rehabilitation Center in Canton and then falsified records to indicate she had dispensed the medications as required.

Ms. Davis was charged with falsifying business records, endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person and willful violation of health laws, according to a statement released by Mr. Schneiderman. She faces up to four years in prison if convicted.

The drugs that allegedly were not dispensed included treatments for dementia, coronary artery disease, bipolar disorder and other health problems. Her alleged activities were identified by a co-workerbefore significant harm resulted, Mr. Schneiderman said, with Maplewood Health Care notifying authorities.

Davis was arraigned on Wednesday by Canton Town Justice Christopher J. Curley. She pleaded not guilty and was released on her own recognizance pending further proceedings.

Also on Wednesday, Tiffany Kerr of Massena and Keri Trombley of Norfolk were arraigned by Mr. Curley on charges of third-degree grand larceny. They are accused of stealing more than $9,000 from the state Medicaid program.

In December 2011, Ms. Kerr was hired by the Cerebral Palsy Association of the North Country, a Medicaid provider, as a respite worker for Ms. Trombleys son, Mr. Schneiderman said.

Shortly after starting the respite care, the accused pair allegedly entered into an agreement whereby Ms. Kerr would file time sheets with CPNC for hours she did not work, and Ms. Trombley would falsely verify those time sheets, the release said.

Pursuant to their agreement, the money generated by the scheme would be shared, including acts where Kerr would buy groceries for Trombley and pay some of Trombleys bills from Kerrs wages. This arrangement is alleged to have occurred between Dec. 28, 2011, and May 16, 2012, it added.

They each entered not-guilty pleas and were released on their own recognizance pending further proceedings.

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